Consider Yourself Warned ...

     I was saving this photo to use as a 100 things in December entry for "Warning" but, after reading the following at Mortimer's Cafe' today I figured the sooner I posted it the better ...

                        

                               And you thought Citrus Canker was a bad thing.

     I wanted a coconut so Billy marched over to his neighbor's home and picked one right off the tree. LOL! I am waiting for it to ripen to throw some rum in it and have a cocktail! You can't have citrus trees anymore, there was a blight and they can't risk the mass market crops. If you have one, they come over and chop the thing down and haul it away.

     One thing I forgot to mention in "The Whole Story" version of "Mort Was Here" is that in addition to his Manatee quest of the day which he happened to go on, and on, and on about ... he also decided that since he was in Florida, he wanted a coconut.

     OK ... not such an unusual request for a guy on vacation in Florida, right? Just let me mention that we were walking down Ocean Drive looking at coconuts on 50 to 60 ft palm trees when he decides he wants one.  

    Certain times of year their are coconut stands found everywhere with men and machetes waiting to whack off the top and give you a straw, with or without the other fruit and rum. But ... not that day. He just saw them decided he wanted one and then became somewhat obsessed.

     As a matter of fact ... I even recall him phoning Ms. Patti saying "There are coconuts everywhere and Coy won't get me one." I'm thinking what do I look like an Itsy Bitsy Monkey <- or something? Anyway like with the Manatee ... eventually he let it go, (or so I thought).

     That was Tuesday ... on Wednesday, I was on Sanibel Island (on Florida's west coast) and I saw this warning sign. Of course I took a photo to bring back to J-Land as a warning. Truth be known ... I had no idea that so many of our coconut trees were being wiped out by Lethal Yellowing or that the inoculation they are using to combat the disease was so dangerous to humans if consumed. Obviously Billy didn't know either, or did he?

    So Mortimer my dear, consider yourself warned ... Don't put the lime in the coconut and drink them both up <-